LESSON I.
The Angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, to a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the name of the Virgin was Mary. And the Angel came in unto her and said : Hail, full of grace: The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women.
RESPONSORY.
The Angel Gabriel was sent to Mary the Virgin espoused to Joseph, announcing to her the Word. And the Virgin trembled on account of the Light. Fear not, Mary, thou hast found grace with God. *Lo, thou shall conceive and shall bring forth, and He shall be called Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give Him the seat of David His father; and He shall reign for ever in the house of Jacob. *Lo, &c.
LESSON II.
Who, when she heard him, was troubled at his saying, and thought what manner of salutation this might be. And the Angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, thou hast found grace with God. Lo, thou shall conceive in the womb and thou shall bring forth a Child, and thou shall call His name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give to Him the seat of David His father, and He shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.
RESPONSORY.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. *The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. The Holy One that is born of thee shall be called Son of God.
How shall this be done, for I know not man ? And the Angel, answering, said to her: *The Holy Ghost, &c.
LESSON III.
Then said Mary to the Angel: How shall this be,for I know not man ? And the Angel, answering her, said : The Holy Ghost shall come down upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee., And therefore also the Holy One that is born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And lo, Elizabeth, thy cousin, she in her old age hath also conceived a son ; and this is the sixth month with her who is called barren. For with God no word is impossible. Then said Mary : Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy Word.
RESPONSORY.
Take the Word O Virgin Mary which has been brought to thee from God by the Angel : Thou shalt conceive and bring forth Him Who is both God and Man. *That thou mayst be called blessed among women.
Thou shall indeed bring forth a Son, but shall not suffer the loss of thy virginity. Thou shall be with Child and yet be the Mother ever intact. *That thou, &c.
Glory be to the Father, &c.
*That Thou, &c.
From - The Little Office of Our Lady; a treatise theoretical, practical, and exegetical - Taunton, Ethelred L. (Ethelred Luke), 1857-1907
